Nigerian Newspapers
Unforgettable Pa Fashola
THE first time we met was the last time. As if we knew this was going to be the last time, we took a group photograph. I can still remember his infectious smile. One look at him and you are convinced that Governor Babatunde Fashola is indeed a chip off the old block, a true son of his father.
For a long time, he had remained in obscurity, far from the glare of the media. But luckily, he spoke to Dimgba Igwe and I. For hours, he spoke about his life and times, about his son, about everything. He spoke with candour, with honesty. He was that blunt. He had nothing to hide. Any question you asked, he answered forthrightly. He never saw himself as a saint. He never wanted to be. He even laughed at himself as he recalled his past and all his youthful escapades and foibles. In the end, he was a good man who loved to make people around him feel good. He was a unique father, a well-travelled man who believed in educating his children through travelling. He took them around the world for their own education. He told us: “I wanted my children too to be exposed to Europe and to the world which is one education in itself as opposed to staying in Nigeria. There is a world of difference.”
It was through this early exposure to the world that informed Governor Fashola’s determination to stay in Nigeria, school in Nigeria and strive to make it here in Nigeria, rather than schooling abroad which he rejected. In his grave, Pa Fashola would die a happy man. At least, he lived to see what his son has achieved in his lifetime. Isn’t this the prayer of every father? Adieu, Pa Fashola.
***
My guest columnist today is the journalist Alade Odunewu (Allah-de), also dead. Ironically I had called Allah-de on phone to interview him on Pa Ademola Fashola who was his colleague in the Daily Times where Fashola was the Advert Manager. Odunewu told me he was willing to talk on Fashola, but he was travelling. “When I come back, I would grant you an interview,” he said. But Odunewu never came back. I was sad to hear the news of his death. Just as Pa Fashola’s death saddened me. Today, I bring you an Allah-de classic which reminds me of Ernest Hemmingway, style-wise:
This is the Hour!
Greetings to you this day from the sun-drenched mountain of Arafat near the sacred, forbidden city of Mecca. Good day from Islam’s holiest city, the city through which the monotheistic religion breathes.
Today is the day. This is the supreme moment. As I write, the minds of one-seventh of mankind, who turn their eyes daily in prayer towards Kaaba, the Holy Shrine in Mecca, are humming with anticipation. We who are privileged to be here today are fervently praying. Praying for ourselves, praying for forgiveness. And we are praying for you, too—you who are not yet privileged to join in this rare gathering.
I know you are praying for us in return. Prayers are being said in various places throughout the world for the pilgrims who today stand in reverence before Mount Arafat.
I have never seen a scene like the one which I watch in all humility here today. There is another gathering to equal this mammoth family reunion of devotees to a man who lived this earth a very long time ago; the Holy Prophet who came into the world during the dark ages, at a time when Arabia was ruled by terrorists.
What is this that I behold? A sea of heads! What a terrific stream of strange folks! The horde comes in from several corners of the globe, using every possible means to get here. They came in plane loads; by sea; by land; they rode in on the backs of camels; some even made it by “ss foot”! Just to be present at the solemn, moving rites, here on Mount Arafat.
Look at the faces, I can see all the colours of the rainbow; from the light auburn coloured to dark-skinned brethren from my own part of the world. But I cannot recognize faces in this ocean of heads. By my arithmetic, there are well over a million heads shinning in the sun here today.
This, in a way, is a picnic but a picnic with a difference. Right now, the atmosphere is calm. I am full of inspiration; I can feel the presence of the Creator right on the naked, 150-foot high mountain in this extensive valley. The message of Arafat is the message of unity, the unity of God, the brotherhood of mankind, the equality of man before God. Here, we know not the rich, nor the ennobled. The wealthy potentate and the poor from slum mix freely.
Legend says that the desert mountain from where I dispatch this piece was the very place Adam and Eve first met each other after their expulsion from Paradise and a separation of well over a century.
We too are reunited here today, and even though there is no Angel Jubril around to introduce one pilgrim to the other we sojourn happily and in true brotherhood, in the hundreds of thousands of tents that have been put up for the occasion.
Why, brother, why can’t we live the life on Arafat the mountain? Why can’t we live back home?
A few minutes before this cablegram was despatched, the great multitude on Mount Arafat had spoken to their Creator. It really is a moving scene, this Arafat ceremony; the kind I like to witness over and over again. The Arafat rites are the climax of the holy pilgrimage. We all remained standing. Suddenly, words began to flow in several tongues.
That was the hour; that was the period throughout the pilgrimage which no pilgrim could afford to miss. For this particular time is regarded as the most sublime hours of a pilgrim’s life. It is said by learned Moslems that these hours on Mount Arafat are the hours of forgiveness and mercy. What is important, it is the Hajj?
As these words sputter through to the Daily Times in Lagos, pilgrims are still on their feet waiting for the post meridian sun to pass the horizon.
Earlier, I had joined the mighty river of pilgrims in making the seven circuits round the sacred black stone called the Kaaba, said to be the work of Prophet Abraham and his son, Ishmael.
We are told that in paradise too, angels give praise to God by going round a similar construction. I have also joined in drinking from the well of Zemzem, said to be one from which Hagar obtained water for Ishmael.
And what after Arafat? By the time this story reaches Lagos, I should be on my way to Mina, stopping for a brief period at Muzdalifah. Mina is the place where Abraham’s faith and that of his son was tested. It is the place where Abraham tried to offer his son as sacrifice to God and where the devil was stoned by Ishmael.
There I am joining in Jarat ritual, that is the ceremony of stoning the three pillars which stand for Satan and temptation.
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Tribune Online
Nigeria records 55 new COVID-19 infections, total now 165,110
The Nigeria Centre for Disease Control (NCDC) has recorded 62 new cases of COVID-19, bringing the total number of infections in the country to 165,110. The NCDC disclosed this on its official Twitter handle on Friday. “55 new cases of #COVID19Nigeria; Lagos-21, Yobe-19, Ogun-6, Akwa Ibom-3, Kaduna-2, Plateau-2, FCT-1, Rivers-1.” YOU SHOULD NOT MISS THESE HEADLINES FROM NIGERIAN TRIBUNE COVID-19: Nigeria Recorded […]
Nigeria records 55 new COVID-19 infections, total now 165,110
Tribune Online
Sourced From: Tribune Online
•Deploy more personnel as army chief vows to wipe out terror group
•Security beefed up at N’Assembly
Deji Elumoye and Kingsley Nwezeh in Abuja
Abuja, Nigeria’s seat of power, is under a massive security cordon following threats of attacks by insurgents and the increasing wave of banditry in the contiguous states of Kaduna, Kogi, Nasarawa and Niger States, THISDAY’s investigation has revealed.
There has been a wave of kidnappings in the outskirts of the federal capital, notably Pegi, Tuganmaje and Kuje among others, which the police have battled in recent times.
The security situation in and around the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) was heightened by the pronouncement of the Niger State Governor, Mr. Sani Bello, that Boko Haram fighters who he said sacked 50 villages in the state and hoisted the terror group’s flag, were about two hours drive away from the FCT.
Security has also been beefed up at the National Assembly as operatives, yesterday, thoroughly screened every vehicle approaching the National Assembly complex in Abuja.
The deteriorating security situation nationwide prompted the National Chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Prince Uche Secondus, to warn that the 2023 general election may not hold, demanding the declaration of a state of emergency as well as the convocation of a national conference.
However, the Chief of Army Staff, Lt. Gen. Ibrahim Attahiru, yesterday restated the Nigerian Army’s determination to annihilate Boko Haram.
But the Governor of Katsina State, Hon. Bello Masari, cautioned against declaring a state of emergency, saying doing so isn’t the solution to combat the security challenges facing the country.
The security of the nation’s airports was also in focus yesterday as the Office of the National Security Adviser (ONSA) said there was no threat to them.
THISDAY’s investigations showed increased presence of troops, police, Nigerian Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC) personnel and intelligence operatives at the three strategic entrances to the city notably, Keffi, Zuba and Gwagwalada.
More checkpoints were also mounted around Gwagwalada and Keffi.
THISDAY also observed increased intelligence deployment at the entrance and the borders of FCT with contiguous states.
Beyond the borders, there were more deployments and police patrols inside the city and increased intelligence deployments as well.
Security sources told THISDAY: “There are deployments here and there but they are routine. Alertness is key to a secure environment.”
It was also learnt that security agencies were involved in frenzied meetings throughout yesterday.
The meetings, coordinated by the office of the Chief of Defence Staff under the new joint operational strategy of the armed forces, were aimed at coordinating a joint response to possible threats of attack to the FCT.
“I understand the security teams have been meeting for some days now and if you look around you, you will notice that there are increasing patrols and numbers of security personnel. The threats are not been taken lightly,” a source said.
National Assembly workers, lawmakers and visitors also had a harrowing experience accessing the legislative complex due to heightened security in the area.
Security operatives thoroughly screened every vehicle approaching the National Assembly complex in Abuja, impeding both human and vehicular traffic.
The Sergeant-at-arm of the National Assembly and other security agencies supervised the operations, leading to huge traffic build-up inside the complex.
Legislative staff, visitors and lawmakers were seen patiently waiting for their cars to be searched so that they could go ahead with the business of the day.
Some staff and visitors at some point got tired of waiting and were seen alighting from their cars to trek from the gate to the complex.
Meanwhile, the ONSA has said there is no threat to the nation’s airports.
A statement by the Head of Strategic Communication, Mr. Zachari Usman, said the reports of threats to the airports were an internal correspondence of security threat assessment misconstrued as security threat to the airports.
PDP Demands State of Emergency
In a related development, the PDP National Chairman, Prince Uche Secondus, yesterday demanded the declaration of a state of emergency, warning that the 2023 general election might not hold if the federal government failed to tackle insecurity.
He called on the federal government to summon a national conference to address the spike in insecurity.
Secondus added that the national caucus of the party will meet today to discuss the state of the nation.
Addressing members of the National Executive Committee (NEC) in Abuja, Secondus said: “We are worried Abuja is not even safe. It is no longer politics. We got alert of plots to bomb and burn down our airports.
“We urge the federal government to declare a national state of emergency in security. There is the need to call a national conference to discuss the insecurity in the country.
“There may not be any election in 2023 in Nigeria due to insecurity. This government must listen to the people. The Buhari government should call a national confab to discuss security and state of the nation. It is no longer politics. This time we are not playing politics. Let’s keep politics aside and move the nation forward.”
He said the country had been grounded, regretting that there had been no matching response from the federal government.
Secondus said in the past, terrorism in the North was confined to the North-east, but with the report of Boko Haram occupying villages in Niger State, terrorism had spread to the North-central
“Herdsmen are also menacing in the West; gunmen causing havoc in the East; and the militants in the South; all killing, looting, raping, maiming and burning down homes. The situation is bad; Nigerians all over are living in fear,” he said.
The Senate Minority Leader, Senator Enyinnaya Abaribe, said the problem of Nigeria was outside of the PDP headquarters, while pledging the support of the Senate to the declaration of state of emergency in security.
Abaribe said he deliberately decided not to speak on the floor of the Senate but to allow the APC senators to speak so as to avoid being accused of giving a partisan colouration to the issue of insecurity.
He stated that only electoral reforms would give victory to the opposition party in the 2023 general election and ensure a democratic defeat of the APC-led federal government.
Also, the Minority Leader of the House of Representatives, Hon. Ndudi Elumelu, commended the NEC and the PDP leadership for their collective efforts at resolving the House leadership crisis.
The NEC meeting adopted the position of Secondus, calling on the federal government to convoke a national conference to discuss the state of insecurity in the country, according to a communiqué read by the National Publicity Secretary, Mr. Kola Ologbondiyan.
Army Chief Vows to Wipe Out Boko Haram
The army yesterday reiterated its commitment to wipe out Boko Haram.
Chief of Army Staff (COAS), Lt. Gen. Ibrahim Attahiru, told reporters in Maiduguri, Borno State that Boko Haram had been defeated in many encounters and would continue to be defeated until it’s annihilated from Nigeria.
“We will take on Boko Haram decisively, and we are committed to the focus of the operations, which is the total annihilation of Boko Haram from Nigeria,” he said.
The COAS, who was visiting the headquarters of Operation Lafiya Dole in Maiduguri for the fifth time since his appointment four months ago, said the visit was to boost the morale of the troops, reassure them and listen to any issues affecting them.
Earlier, the Theatre Commander of Operation Lafiya Dole, Maj. Gen. Farouq Yahaya, lauded the visit, which he said had continued to boost the morale of the troops.
“We are honoured, we are grateful, we are encouraged by those visits. You provided us guidance, logistics and other things we required. We are most grateful for those visits,” Yahaya said.
State of Emergency Won’t Solve Security Challenges, Says Masari
Katsina State Governor, Hon. Aminu Masari, has, however, said declaration of a state of emergency won’t solve the security challenges facing the nation.
Masari, who spoke yesterday with journalists after meeting with the Chief of Staff to the President, Prof. Ibrahim Gambari at the State House, Abuja stated that he was against the recent call by the House of Representatives for the declaration of a state of emergency in the security sector as it would not solve the problem.
According to him, declaring a state of emergency will not achieve the desired effect as the security structure and personnel to be used to execute the emergency are already overstretched in a bid to safeguard lives and property.
Sourced From: THISDAYLIVE
Kamaru Usman has raked in a mammoth £1.1million, about N584.2 million after his impressive knockout victory over Jorge Masvidal on Saturday night, Sportivation.com.ng reports.
The Nigerian Nightmare has been handsomely rewarded for his stunning performance and he was the best-paid fighter on the card which was witnessed by 15, 000 fans in Florida.
According to Daily Mail, Usman earned £538,000 to show up, £459,000 pay-per-view bonus, a £43,000 sponsorship bonus and a well deserved £35,000 Performance of the Night bonus.
Jorge Masvidal also earned £358,000 to show, £186,000 in pay-per-view money and a £28,000 sponsorship bonus.
This is the biggest payday of Usman’s career so far and the Welterweight champion also benefited from the fact that Masvidal is also a top draw for the fans.
Kamaru Usman is a Nigerian-American professional mixed martial artist, former freestyle wrestler and graduated folkstyle wrestler.
Sourced From: Latest Nigeria News, Nigerian Newspapers, Politics
The government said that no worker should stay back beyond 6:00 p.m. within premises of buildings undergoing construction.
The post Insecurity: Lagos bans occupation of abandoned buildings appeared first on Premium Times Nigeria.
Sourced From: Premium Times Nigeria
Nigeria records 55 new COVID-19 infections, total now 165,110
Military, Police Ring Abuja to Forestall Boko Haram Attack
UFC: Usman gets N584m after beating Masvidal
Insecurity: Lagos bans occupation of abandoned buildings
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